Taber, Alberta, is Kraft Hockeyville 2026.
The community about 40 minutes east of Lethbridge and three hours southeast of Calgary was selected in a vote across Canada to host the 20th anniversary of the program and is the first Kraft Hockeyville winner to represent Alberta since Sylvan Lake in 2014.
Taber will receive $250,000 for upgrades to Taber Community Centre, the chance to host an NHL preseason game in the fall of 2027 and $10,000 worth of brand-new youth hockey equipment courtesy of NHLPA Goals & Dreams and the NHL/NHLPA Industry Growth Fund.
The community gathered inside the Taber Community Centre auditorium for a watch party since 3 p.m. MT awaiting NHL Commissioner Gary Bettman to make the announcement during "Hockey Night in Canada" on Saturday. Kraft Hockeyville 2026 began with a call for nominations Jan. 1, and continued with the unveiling of 13 Provincial and Territorial Winners on March 14 and the final two March 21.
"It means we can bring our kids home back to the rink," Meghan Brennan, communications manager for the Town of Taber, told Sportsnet.
Runner-up Tumbler Ridge Community Centre Arena in Tumbler Ridge, British Columbia, will be awarded $100,000 for arena upgrades and $10,000 in youth hockey equipment from NHLPA Goals & Dreams and the Industry Growth Fund. This completes Kraft Hockeyville's biggest campaign since Salmon River, Nova Scotia, was crowned the inaugural winner in 2006. The program has awarded $6.3 million to 118 communities with 20 voted winners of the grand prize, including the preseason game and $10,000 in youth hockey equipment courtesy of NHLPA Goals & Dreams and the Industry Growth Fund.
Funding will support critical repairs and help restore Taber Community Centre after an explosion that occurred Dec. 17, 2025, left it inoperable. The rink is a cornerstone of local life in a community founded in the 1890s that has since developed into the "Corn Capital of Canada," promoting the friendliness of a small town with the amenities of a larger community.
"The tenacity of Taberites can't be underestimated," Brennan said. "When we lost our rink, we knew we had to bring it back better than ever. Today, we did it. We will never forget it, and we are ready to bring (the NHL) here."
The Ottawa Senators and Montreal Canadiens will play at Colisée Vidéotron in Trois-Rivières, Québec, on Sept. 21 to celebrate 2025 winner Saint-Boniface, Québec, nearly 20 years after the Canadiens defeated the Senators 7-3 at Colchester Legion Stadium in Truro, Nova Scotia, on Sept. 25, 2006. Aréna de Saint-Boniface, the beneficiary of the grand prize upgrade, marks Kraft Hockeyville's return to the province for the first time since a 3-2 Canadiens win against the Buffalo Sabres at what is now Centre Sportif Benoît-Levesque in Roberval on Sept. 23, 2008.
Thousands living in small towns across Canada, many who have never seen the NHL or the Stanley Cup in person, have been gifted with Kraft Hockeyville, a life experience that resonates to this day. A countdown of the top 10 began with what started it all and an "Arena of Dreams." It continued with how a youth player now skating for the Pittsburgh Penguins was inspired from his couch, a homecoming for a 30-year-old forward who played hero in overtime, and how the program brought healing to two communities.
The final four included stories of perseverance, seizing the moment and how Penguins captain Sidney Crosby and The Beatles effect took over Sudbury, Ontario.
"Congratulations to Taber, Alberta on being named the winner of Kraft Hockeyville 2026, and to all of this year’s first-ever Provincial & Territorial Winners," said Simon Laroche, president, Kraft Heinz Canada. "For more than a century, Kraft Heinz has been enriching Canadians’ lives through food and the moments of connection it brings -- both at the table and in communities across the country. Now, in our milestone 20th anniversary year of Kraft Hockeyville, we’ve seen just how deeply local rinks matter -- not only as places to play, but as the heart of communities. From stories of resilience to moments of connection, this year’s communities reminded us that hockey is about far more than the game, it’s about showing up for one another. We’re proud to help bring this spirit to life in rinks across Canada."
For complete program details, please visit krafthockeyville.ca.
